Agent skill

Winforms

by managedcode in managedcode/dotnet-skills

Build, maintain, or modernize Windows Forms applications with practical guidance on designer-driven UI, event handling, data binding, MVP separation, and migration to modern .NET.

MITAuto-check passedBackend & APIs

Install Winforms

skills CLI

$ npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install managedcode/dotnet-skills winforms --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms .claude/skills/winforms && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Paste into Claude Code

Install the "winforms" agent skill from https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms into .claude/skills/winforms/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "winforms", then confirm the skill loads.

Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

$skill-installer

$skill-installer install https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms

Type this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a codex

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install managedcode/dotnet-skills winforms --agent codex

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms .agents/skills/winforms && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.

Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/

Paste into Codex

Install the "winforms" agent skill from https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms into .agents/skills/winforms/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "winforms", then confirm the skill loads.

Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a cursor

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install managedcode/dotnet-skills winforms --agent cursor

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms .cursor/skills/winforms && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.

Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/

Paste into Cursor

Install the "winforms" agent skill from https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms into .cursor/skills/winforms/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "winforms", then confirm the skill loads.

Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

gemini skills install

$ gemini skills install https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git --path catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms

--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a gemini-cli

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install managedcode/dotnet-skills winforms --agent gemini-cli

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms .gemini/skills/winforms && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.

Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into Gemini CLI

Install the "winforms" agent skill from https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms into .gemini/skills/winforms/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "winforms", then confirm the skill loads.

Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install managedcode/dotnet-skills winforms

Installs for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

skills CLI

$ npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a github-copilot

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms .github/skills/winforms && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.

GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into GitHub Copilot

Install the "winforms" agent skill from https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms into .github/skills/winforms/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "winforms", then confirm the skill loads.

GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a opencode

OpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install managedcode/dotnet-skills winforms --agent opencode

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms .opencode/skills/winforms && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.

OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into OpenCode

Install the "winforms" agent skill from https://github.com/managedcode/dotnet-skills/tree/main/catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms into .opencode/skills/winforms/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "winforms", then confirm the skill loads.

OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

Facts

Skill name: winforms
GitHub stars: 486
Token cost: ~1.3k tokens
SKILL.md length: 381 words
Files: 4 (incl. references)
Skills in repo: 81
Repo updated: Oct 7, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: MIT

At a glance

Build, maintain, or modernize Windows Forms applications with practical guidance on designer-driven UI, event handling, data binding, MVP separation, and migration to modern .NET.

Works in 7 steps: Respect designer boundaries — never edit… → Separate business logic from forms — use… → Use DI from Program.cs (.NET 6+) → …
: working on Windows Forms UI
SKILL.md covers Trigger On, Workflow, Current Upstream Notes and Key Decisions, plus 3 more sections
Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Winforms is an agent skill from managedcode/dotnet-skills. Build, maintain, or modernize Windows Forms applications with practical guidance on designer-driven UI, event handling, data binding, MVP separation, and migration to modern .NET. USE FOR: working on Windows Forms UI, event-driven workflows, or classic LOB applications; migrating WinForms from .NET Framework to modern .NET; cleaning up oversized form code. DO NOT USE FOR: unrelated stacks; generic tasks that do not need this specific guidance. INVOKES: inspect the repository context, edit targeted files, and run…

Its SKILL.md is about 1.3k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 4 other files, including reference files (for example `manifest.json`, `references/migration.md` and `references/patterns.md`). Compatibility notes: Requires a Windows Forms project on .NET or .NET Framework.

It sits in Backend & APIs, covering Event-driven systems and Codebase knowledge for agents. It works with .NET. The repository describes itself as: Installable .NET skill catalog and CLI for Codex, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and Gemini. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

: working on Windows Forms UI
Event-driven workflows
Classic LOB applications
Migrating WinForms from .NET Framework to modern .NET

Example prompts

“/winforms”

Requirements

Compatibility (from SKILL.md): Requires a Windows Forms project on .NET or .NET Framework.

Workflow steps

7 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

Respect designer boundaries — never edit .Designer.cs directly; changes are lost on regeneration.
Separate business logic from forms — use MVP (Model-View-Presenter) pattern. Forms orchestrate UI; presenters contain logic; services…
Use DI from Program.cs (.NET 6+)
Use data binding via BindingSource and INotifyPropertyChanged instead of manual control population. See references/patterns.md for…
Use async/await for I/O operations — disable controls during loading, use Progress for progress reporting. Never block the UI thread.
Validate with ErrorProvider and the Validating event. Call ValidateChildren() before save operations.
Modernize incrementally — prefer better structure over big-bang rewrites. Use .NET 8+ features (button commands, stock icons) when…

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 535dd55. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are csharp and mermaid).
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Compatibility
Requires a Windows Forms project on .NET or .NET Framework.
From compatibility in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

Context cost

Winforms loads about 1.3k tokens when it runs, and up to ~9k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 150 tokens; SKILL.md has 381 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~150
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~1.3k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them: ~9k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from managedcode/dotnet-skills at commit 535dd55, republished under its MIT licence (© managedcode). 381 words, ~1,268 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/winforms/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 3 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.

name: winforms
description: Build, maintain, or modernize Windows Forms applications with practical guidance on designer-driven UI, event handling, data binding, MVP separation, and migration to modern .NET. USE FOR: working on Windows Forms UI, event-driven workflows, or classic LOB applications; migrating WinForms from .NET Framework to modern .NET; cleaning up oversized form code. DO NOT USE FOR: unrelated stacks; generic tasks that do not need this specific guidance. INVOKES: inspect the repository context, edit targeted files, and run relevant build, test, lint, or validation commands when changes are made.
compatibility: Requires a Windows Forms project on .NET or .NET Framework.

Windows Forms

Trigger On

working on Windows Forms UI, event-driven workflows, or classic LOB applications
migrating WinForms from .NET Framework to modern .NET
cleaning up oversized form code or designer coupling
implementing data binding, validation, or control customization

Workflow

Respect designer boundaries — never edit .Designer.cs directly; changes are lost on regeneration.

Separate business logic from forms — use MVP (Model-View-Presenter) pattern. Forms orchestrate UI; presenters contain logic; services handle data access.

csharp

// View interface — forms implement this
public interface ICustomerView
{
    string CustomerName { get; set; }
    event EventHandler SaveRequested;
    void ShowError(string message);
}

// Presenter — testable without UI
public class CustomerPresenter
{
    private readonly ICustomerView _view;
    private readonly ICustomerService _service;
    public CustomerPresenter(ICustomerView view, ICustomerService service)
    {
        _view = view;
        _service = service;
        _view.SaveRequested += async (s, e) =>
        {
            try { await _service.SaveAsync(_view.CustomerName); }
            catch (Exception ex) { _view.ShowError(ex.Message); }
        };
    }
}

Use DI from Program.cs (.NET 6+):

csharp

var services = new ServiceCollection();
services.AddSingleton<ICustomerService, CustomerService>();
services.AddTransient<MainForm>();
using var sp = services.BuildServiceProvider();
Application.Run(sp.GetRequiredService<MainForm>());

Use data binding via BindingSource and INotifyPropertyChanged instead of manual control population. See references/patterns.md for complete binding patterns.
Use async/await for I/O operations — disable controls during loading, use Progress<T> for progress reporting. Never block the UI thread.
Validate with ErrorProvider and the Validating event. Call ValidateChildren() before save operations.
Modernize incrementally — prefer better structure over big-bang rewrites. Use .NET 8+ features (button commands, stock icons) when available.

Current Upstream Notes

The August 2026 Windows Forms overview remains focused on Windows desktop, designer-driven controls, events, data binding, and migration to modern .NET. It does not change the framework-selection guidance: improve form boundaries and designer safety before proposing a rewrite.
For docs-driven updates, validate whether the app targets .NET Framework, modern .NET, or mixed libraries before changing project format, designer files, or deployment assumptions.

mermaid

flowchart LR
  A["Form event"] --> B["Presenter handles logic"]
  B --> C["Service layer / data access"]
  C --> D["Update view via interface"]
  D --> E["Validate and display results"]

Show full SKILL.md (166 more words)Show less

Key Decisions

Decision	Guidance
MVP vs MVVM	Prefer MVP for WinForms — simpler with event-driven model
BindingSource vs manual	Always prefer BindingSource for list/detail binding
Sync vs async I/O	Always async — use `async void` only for event handlers
Custom controls	Extract reusable `UserControl` when form grows beyond ~300 lines
.NET Framework → .NET	Use the official migration guide; validate designer compatibility first

Deliver

less brittle form code with clear UI/logic separation
MVP pattern with testable presenters
pragmatic modernization guidance for WinForms-heavy apps
data binding and validation patterns that reduce manual wiring

Validate

designer files stay stable and are not hand-edited
forms are not acting as the application service layer
async operations do not block the UI thread
validation is implemented consistently with ErrorProvider
Windows-only runtime behavior is tested on target

References

references/patterns.md - WinForms architectural patterns (MVP, MVVM, Passive View), data binding, validation, form communication, threading, DI setup, and .NET 8+ features
references/migration.md - step-by-step migration from .NET Framework to modern .NET, common issues, deployment options, and gradual migration strategies

Files

SKILL.md and 3 other files (references) in catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms of managedcode/dotnet-skills.

SKILL.md
manifest.json
references/migration.md
references/patterns.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 535dd55

Compare with similar skills

Winforms next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Winforms compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
Winforms this skillmanagedcode/dotnet-skills	486	—	~1.3k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	today
FoundatioFoundatioFx/Foundatio	2.1k	—	~3.9k	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	today
Foundationdb Advanced LayersSnowBankSDK/foundationdb-dotnet-client	158	—	~3.4k	Automated safety check: Pass	BSD-3-Clause	today
Event Store Designwshobson/agents	40k	9 repos	~828	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	3 days ago
Azure Eventgrid Dotnetmicrosoft/skills	3.1k	6 repos	~3.5k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	yesterday
Azure Servicebus Dotnetmicrosoft/skills	3.1k	5 repos	~2.8k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	yesterday

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Questions about Winforms

What does Winforms do?

Build, maintain, or modernize Windows Forms applications with practical guidance on designer-driven UI, event handling, data binding, MVP separation, and migration to modern .NET. Winforms is an agent skill from managedcode/dotnet-skills.NET.

When should I use Winforms?

Winforms fits situations like: : working on Windows Forms UI; event-driven workflows; classic LOB applications; migrating WinForms from .NET Framework to modern .NET.

How do I install Winforms in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms in managedcode/dotnet-skills) into .claude/skills/winforms in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Winforms in Codex?

Run `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (catalog/Frameworks/WinForms/skills/winforms in managedcode/dotnet-skills) into .agents/skills/winforms in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Winforms in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add managedcode/dotnet-skills --skill winforms -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/winforms, .gemini/skills/winforms, .github/skills/winforms and .opencode/skills/winforms in your project.

What does Winforms need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Winforms is instructions for the agent only. Compatibility (from SKILL.md): Requires a Windows Forms project on .NET or .NET Framework..

Does Winforms access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Winforms safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Winforms use?

Winforms is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Winforms use?

About 1.3k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.1k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 7.7k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Winforms?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Winforms: Foundatio (FoundatioFx/Foundatio, 2.1k stars), Foundationdb Advanced Layers (SnowBankSDK/foundationdb-dotnet-client, 158 stars), Event Store Design (wshobson/agents, 40k stars) and Azure Eventgrid Dotnet (microsoft/skills, 3.1k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Winforms?

managedcode (a GitHub organization) maintains it in managedcode/dotnet-skills, which has 486 GitHub stars. The repository holds 81 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 7, 2026.

Source: managedcode/dotnet-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.

Install Winforms

Facts

At a glance

What it does

When your agent uses it

Example prompts

Requirements

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Compatibility

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Windows Forms

Trigger On

Workflow

Current Upstream Notes

Key Decisions

Deliver

Validate

References

Files

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from managedcode/dotnet-skills

Related

Questions about Winforms